Ignition-timer for internal-combustion engines.



UNITED STATES PATENT l oEEioE.

*LAURENCE 1B. Hom AND Ammin B. CLAYTON, or LAcoNIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

IGNITION-TIMER FOB INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Patented Feb. 21, k1911.

Application led January 19, 1910. Serial No. 538,813.

United States, and residents" of Laconia, vinythe county of Belknap and State of New.

Hampshire, have Linvented newl and useful 'Improvements in Ignition-Timers for lnternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

vThis invention yrelates to an ignition timerl y for internalcombustion engines, and its object is to provide an improved, compact and simple form of timer wherein the movable elect-rode or .contact member will be moved positively in each direction, so that its action will be positive, reliable and not dependent.

upon the actionv of a spring as is usual in such devices; and wherein the path of movement `between the contact members will be such that they will make and break contact without wiping action, thus greatly reducing the wearupon the contact points, and making,r it poible to use silver cont-act points.

f Other features will hereinafter be described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

. Vhile the invention is applicable to internal combustion' rvengines generally, it is peculiarly 'adapted to marine gasolene engines, and'for the purpose of illustration Iwill describe a timer adapted for a two cylinder marine engine. It will be understood, however, that the device -is not limited to the usev in. connection with an engine of any particular number of cylinders, nor to use with marine engines, but is capable of application to internal combustion engines generally, and such general use is contemplated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate` one embodiment of the invention,-Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 2 showing the timer partly in plan; -and Fig. 2 is a vertical secltional View of the `timer on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

'The timer illustrated in the drawings comprises a casing -com losed of an outer wall a of' substantially cylindrical form, and an inner wall ag also of substantiallyV cylindrical form, said walls spaced apart leaving the spa-ce a.2 therebetween. The inner wall a', inclosing what may be termed the cam chamber, is provided with radially disposed spacel a2 guideways a3, in which are mounted plungers extending through and, projecting beyond the walls of the cam chamber into the space out-side gttl'ie cam chamber.

For convenience in manufacturing and assembling the parts, the upper partof the cam chamber comprising the annular wall a9, 1

is made in a separate piece fastened to wall a by screws al and forming an extension of wall a. The gnidewaysI a3 extend transversely of, and are integral with, said wall a. Said plungers form reciprocating elec trodes or contact members and it will be understood that one such plunger is provided for each cylinder of the engine. l Within the cam chamber is a rotor o in the form of a disk provided on its upperl face with a cam path c. The rotor o is at the top of a shaft c2 vwhich extendsl through the casing and may be, drivenfrom the engine in `the usual manner. Each plunger b is provided at' its inner end witha studb which projects into the cam path c. A bushing or sleeve b2 surrounds and turns upon the stud b l with the cam path c' when the rotor is turned to `reciprocate the plungers. The outer end of each plunger is provided with a silver contact point 3 which may be secured to the end of the plunger b by a screw as shown; and surrounding the plungers b and makes rolling Contact.

outside of the walls of the cam chamber and sheet m point b3 collar b* which may leak through the plunger guideways a3, and prevent it from reaching the contact point b3..

The cam chamber is wholly closed by a cap a* screwed to the upper walls of the cam chamber and having a Aperipl'ieral flange a5 which compresses between itself and the edge of the wall a", a ring or washer a of absorbent material, for arresting and holding any oil or grease which might leak through the joint between the cap a* and thecam chamber. This washer a6 extends to' the outer wall a of the casing, thus covering the entrance to and still lfurther insuring the prevention .offadmission of oil to the contact points. It will thus be seen that the cam chamber is wholly closed and that the rotor c, plungers b and connections therebetween may all run in a lubricant without danger of injurious leakage to the contact points.

The outer wall of the casing is also closed through which projects a contact member d',

the inner end of which is provided with a silver contact point d2, projecting into the path of the contact point b of the'reciproeating contact member. The Wire leading to the battery is connected with the outer end of the contact member d. The contact member cl is preferably supported so as to yield slightly when eontact'is ,made therewith by the movable contact member b, thus insuring a rm and perfect engagement between the contact points, and at the same time relieveing or reducing the shock of the contacting blow. To this end the contact member d is provided with a shoulder or collar (Z2 which abuts against a flange at the inner end of the' sleeve d and limits the inward movement of the member d', and a cushion spring d3 held under compression between the collar d? and the end of a nut d4, which is also made of insulating material,

' and is screwed within the end of the sleeve d as shown. Thus it will be seen that as the shaft cQ and rotor c rotate, t-he cam path c will reciprocate the radially movable plungcrs Z22 successively, moving t-he same positively in both directions and in a path which will cause the Contact points b3 to engage their respective opposed Contact points (Z2 without any wiping action whatever, but atthe saine time making a firm and sure electrical contact, while subjecting the contact points -to very little wear.

In order to observe the contact between the two electrodes if desired, a sight aperture may be provided in the walls of the hub as', closed by a screw cap all.

We claim:

1. ignition timer for internal combustion engines, comprising a casing having an innerwall forming a cam chamber, and an outer wall, said walls spaced apart, a rotor within said cam chamber having a cam path, a plunger passing through the walls of said cam chamber, the outer end of which projects into the space between said walls, and

the inner end of which is provided with means connecting the plunger with said cam path, and a contact member supported by the outer wall of said casing and projecting inwardly into the path of said plunger.

2. An ignition timer for internal combusa contact member supported by the outer A wall of said easing and projecting inwardly into the path of said plunger.

3. An ignition timer for internal combustion engines, comprising a casing having an inner wall forming a cam chamber, an outer wall provided with marginal hubs, saidwalls spaced apart, a rotor ,within said cam chamber having a cam path, a plunger passing through the walls of said cam chamber, the outer end of which projects into' said hub, and the inner end of which is provided with means connecting thc plunger with said cam path, anda contact member supported in said hub and projecting inwardly into the path of said plunger.

4. An ignition timer for internal combustion engines, comprising a casing having an inner wall forming a cam chamber, and an outer wall, said wallsspaced apart, a rotatable disk in said cam chamber provided with a cam path on its upper face, a plurality 'of radially disposed guideways in said cam chamber, plungers in said guideways projecting through the walls of said cam chamber into the space between the walls of said chamber and the outer walls of the casing, connections between said cam chamber and said plungers, and a plurality of radially disposed contact members projecting inwardly th'rongli the outer wall of said cas' ing into the paths of said plungers.

5. An ignition timer for internal combustion engines, comprising a casing having a cam chamber, a rotary disk within said cam chamber provided with a cam path in its face, a bridge extending over said cam chamber and over the face of said disk and provided with a plunger guideway, a plunger mounted to slide in said guideway, extending over the face of the disk and through the wall of the cam chamber, a

stud on said plunger engaging said cam path and adapted to reciprocate said plunger, and a contact member supported by said .casing in the path of said plunger.

6. An ignition timer for internal combustion engines, comprising a casing having a cam chamber, a rotary disk within said cam chamber provided with a cam path in its face, a bridge part extending over the top of said cam chamber and over the face of the disk, said bridge, part being separably tothe cam chamber and provided wih a, plunger glflewny, :L plunger mouw;-n efl, to Shcle in said ludewuqy, extending over the face of the disk and through the Wall of the cam chamber, a stud on said plumw engaging Said cam path and adapted to reciprocate said plunger, and a Contact mem ber supported by said casing in the path of said plunger. v v

Signed hy us at Laconia., New Hampshire Elus eighth day of Janumy 10ML LAURENCE E. HGLT. ARTHUR B CLAYTGN.

Wituesees LLOYD B. HAYES, l ARTHUR A. TYLER. 

